The NCGA met today for their third extra session this year, and allocated $56,500,000 out of the rainy day fund to cover costs for Hurricane Florence recovery. $6,500,000 of that is for the Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) to reimburse lost compensation for school lunch employees. The remainder will be matched by federal disaster assistance programs.

Also determined was a plan to extend the voter registration deadline in the 28 affected counties from Fri. Oct. 12th to Mon. Oct. 15th. The early voting period statewide remains Oct. 17th - Nov. 3rd at various early voting sites across each county. Those sites damaged by the storm may have a replacement site if the county BOE unanimously votes on a substitution.

The NCGA has plans to come back on October 15th to reassess the needs giving more time to the Executive Branch to gather information. Still to be determined is a plan to waive the school make up days for students affected, although there has been no mention of waiving testing standards and requirements due to their extended absence.

In addition there has been no allocation of funds for the DEQ to address environmental mitigation needs to limit future property and personal loss. Read our blog here from StrongerNC member Kate Gavaghan about the environmental impact to NC, and what we need our leaders to recognize and commit to moving forward.

H/T to Melissa Boughton (@mel_bough) for her Twitter updates.

Early Voting is Just 15 Days Away - Or Vote By Mail NOW!

County Boards of Elections have begun mailing out ballots to those who requested an absentee ballot. Any registered voter can vote by mail by completing this form and mailing it in by Oct. 30th.

Regular voter registration is open until Oct. 12th. After that you will only be able to register or update your registration during the early voting period, from Oct. 17th - Nov. 3rd. This means there are only a few days left to volunteer to register voters! Find a training or volunteer opportunity at You Can Vote.

All of this information and more is available in our new post: NC Voter Resource Guide. Please share with your networks!

New NixAllSix Bumper Stickers and Resources

Want a free#NixAllSix bumper sticker? Just send us an email with your mailing address to: strongernorthcarolina@gmail.com and we will get one to you.

Want a stack to hand out at events, on canvasses, in your Trick or Treat basket or around town? We can send you some, with donations appreciated at https://social.fund/wgzjwa/ .

Thank you to those who have already donated to allow us to get this first batch printed!

We've also added new social media graphics to share, and a talking points document to assist you on your canvasses or as you talk with your friends and neighbors.

If you need program content for an event, gathering, or just want to have a few friends over to review the ballot items (like we all do;) there is now a Google Slideshow with presentation notes you can use. Please feel free to reach out to us as well if you would like a speaker to come present at your gathering.

Propublica analysis on NC Early Voting Sites shows that the recent law requiring uniformity across all county BOE early voting sites results in a reduction by 20% compared to 2014. This is what voter suppression looks like in 2018, and what happens when stakeholders are not consulted in the process of making law, or when those sponsoring the bill have strategic power motives.

“I do believe that Brett’s actions as a 53-year-old federal judge matter,” Ludington said. “If he lied about his past actions on national television, and more especially while speaking under oath in front of the United States Senate, I believe those lies should have consequences. It is truth that is at stake, and I believe that the ability to speak the truth, even when it does not reflect well upon oneself, is a paramount quality we seek in our nation’s most powerful judges.” From Chad Ludington, an associate professor at NC State and former classmate of Brett Kavanaugh's.